Echo
by broken4rrow
Summary: Kori Anders is battling with a deep depression. From dealing with her drunk sister, to getting bullied at school and having an abusive boyfriend. She feels lonely and trapped. Yet, she doesn't want to be saved. Especially not by Richard Grayson. But she slowly opens up to him about her emotional and physical scars. And she fears, that she could fall in love with the playboy.
1. Tick Tock

**Author's note:** Hi! This isn't my first fanfic, I just made a new account. I hope you guys like the story. I have a lot planned for it. Also there will be scenes of self harm and there might be some other mature content later on, but I'm keeping it T rated for now until I decide. Please review. :))

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.**

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I subconsciously drummed my slender fingers on the desk. I laid my cheek on my free hand. I look at the clock. I still have 15 minutes left. It was as if the clock was mocking me. Like it was purposely slowing time. I watch the seconds hand gradually move. Taunting me.

_Tick tock_

_Tick tock_

_Tick Tock_

My eyelids were slowly opening and closing over and over again. It was so hard to keep myself awake right now. Although I did not wish to be here, I wasn't yearning to be home either. I felt like I had no place to go. No place where I could feel at ease. I feel as though I am always on the edge. One of these days…I won't be able to take it much longer. I will break down. And no one will care.

I felt a soft nudge at my arm. I look up at one of my dear friends, Vic. He was like my big, protective and funny brother. It's actually quite surprising that he's my friend. He's the quarterback for our school football team. Yes, he was a jock. A popular one. I did not particularly care for the jocks. Most of them are foul and rude. But Vic seems to be the only one with his head on his shoulders. He's a good guy. He is one of the few people I could actually count. I knew that if I was in trouble, he would be there to save me. He always helped me in the past. But I haven't told him much about myself for the past couple of months. At least the bad stuff. I did not want him to know. He would worry. He would be upset. Disappointed.

He gives me a warm smile, but in his eyes I could see that he was a little concerned.

"You okay?" He whispers.

I give him a fake smile. "I am fine."

I know that he is not convinced. But he does not push me. He simply nods and continues to listen to our teacher, Mr. Mod go over the review for our test tomorrow. I frown to myself. I wish I did not have to lie to Vic. He deserved better than that. He has always been kind and truthful with me. But I just…did not want to be a burden with my problems. It is best I say that I am okay. Even though, I know I am truly not okay.

I felt myself zoning out the entire review. I could not focus. At all. I just had this very uneasy feeling. I did not feel comfortable. I never did.

"Miss Anders am I boring you?" Mr. Mod calls out sarcastically.

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. Everyone was looking at me. I hated when people stared at me. I loathed it.

"Uh…no sir." I reply quietly.

"Just remember, this is your grade. Not mine." He says while pointing at me.

X'hal, I wanted to shut him up so badly. That stupid, grumpy, old man. He knows I am not a bad student. Despite all of my problems, my school work is the only thing I am good at.

"I understand." I say.

The 10 minutes left felt like 10 days. I thought the class would never end. I just wanted to leave so badly. It's bad enough I was humiliated.

Vic and I are the last ones still in the class after the bell rings, aside from Mr. Mod. I gather my notebook and papers and slid it into my dark brown, leather, crossbody bag. I put the strap on my shoulder and begin to leave the room with Vic.

"Miss Anders, a word please." Mr. Mod says while shuffling papers on his desk.

_Is he seriously going to yell at me now?_

I look at Vic with a slight frown, but he returns me a reassuring smile and leaves the room. I walk over to Mr. Mod's desk. He looks at me with genuine…concern?

"Kori, what's going on?" He asks softly, his thick British accent coming through.

I'm taken aback by his question. I was sure that he was going to yell at me. But he thinks that I am having trouble. Well I am, but this was none of his business. He is merely my teacher.

"Nothing." I say, trying to sound as calm and honest as possible.

"Kori, you're doing excellent with your grades. But every time I see you, you look so…troubled." I could hear the sadness in his voice when he spoke the last word to me.

He was right. I am troubled. But I did not wish to talk to him about this. I felt uncomfortable. I do not want to open up to my teacher about this.

"Mr. Mod, I am fine." I say.

He sighs heavily. "Okay, get to your class."

I nod and almost ran out. I couldn't wait to get out of that room. Upon leaving, I nearly run into another good friend of mine. Rachel.

"Oh my apologies Rachel!" I say with my hand on her shoulder.

She gives me a small smile. "Relax Kori. I'm fine."

Rachel relates to me in many, many ways. She understands my pain and troubles. She has also gone through a lot in her life. She lost her mother at a young age and her father was very abusive. A very evil man. When I moved to Jump City, I just turned 15. That's when I meet Rachel. Since we are total opposites, it took a while for our friendship to develop. But I learned how compassionate, artistic and wonderful Rachel is. She never opened up to anyone. Not a single person. As our friendship developed, she told me everything about her life. I mean everything. I was heartbroken when she told me about some of the things she went through. I knew she needed help. She needed to be saved. After much persuasion, Rachel and I talked to the guidance counselor. We told her about Rachel being abused and she was immediately put in a foster home and her father was arrested. Of course that was an extremely difficult experience for her. But I was with her every step of the way. She lives with a lovely middle aged married couple now. Ben and Renee. They love her like she is their own daughter. Ever since she took that big step in her life, our friendship has never been closer. She's like my little sister. Rachel has taken out her pain and frustration on other things, instead of herself. She paints, draws and writes poetry. They're all very dark and depressing, but magically beautiful. Rachel has been a lot happier now and that's all I ever wanted. Since the day she opened up to me, I wanted her to be happy. She tells how much she can never repay for what I have done for her. But her friendship is enough. Like I said, she understands my pain since she can empathize. But just like Vic, I haven't opened up much to her the past couple months. I assure I am much happier now, but I know that's a lie.

"Oh good. I must head to class." I tell her and leave before she can answer.

My chemistry class is actually interesting me. The chemicals, the molecules, the science, all of it fascinates me. It is especially better since I have Gar. The little brother I never had. I take my seat next to him and he flashes me his goofy smile. He's definitely the jokester out of Rachel, Vic and I. Although, when he and Vic are together it's even better. Gar wasn't exactly popular; he was actually rejected a lot. A lot of people just think he's odd and annoying. But on the contrary, he's a very a sweet, funny and enjoyable person. He gets judged so harshly. And if Gar is a loser, then I must be one too.

He carefully rakes his fingers through his spiked, dark brown hair and slightly pats it down. I giggle at him. He's always making sure his hair is perfect.

"What is up, Gar?" I ask politely.

"Nothin' but the celling baby." He says with a sly smile, with his fang poking out.

I roll my eyes at him. "You always say that silly."

"It's the truth ain't it?" He says with the smile still plastered on his face. Come to think of it, he is always smiling. That's one of the reasons why I love him so much. If you're having a bad day, he will do everything he can to make you laugh, at least once.

The rest of the school day is like a blur. I zoned out a lot again. Sometimes, counting down the minutes til I could get out. Once that final bell rang, I was relieved. I walked home, feeling a slight breeze. Winter is approaching. I do love the cold and snow, but in Jump City the winter lasts longer than it should. It's usually a miserable time since everyone else despises the cold so much.

I finally reach home. I notice my sister's car isn't in the driveway, she must be out. Like always. I toss my bag on my bedroom floor and slip off my shoes. I flip the switch for my fan and turn my stereo up a little. The soft ballads echo through my room. I finally crash onto my bed. Sweet relief. At least for now. My eyes slowly shut. I felt so peaceful. But I knew that couldn't last long. As soon as I wake up, the pain will wash over me again.

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**Author's note:** I know it's not that exciting right now, but I assure you it gets better. The first couple chapters will mostly just tell you what's going on in Kori's life and talk about the people in it. But it **does** get a lot better. Pleaaase review. :)


	2. Arrogant

**A/N: **Here's the 2nd chapter. Richard starts coming into the picture. Please review. :)))

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.**

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I hear the familiar ringing of my alarm clock. I can't tell you how much I hate that sound. I did not want to wake up. I wanted to lie in my bed for several more hours. Maybe days. My eyes flutter open and I groggily get out of bed. I push the off button on my clock. I walk over to my bathroom and turn the faucet in the shower. As I wait for the water to get warm, I strip from my clothes. I feel the water and step inside. The warm water droplets hitting my skin relax me. I let it soak up my hair. I wash my hair and scrub my body with soap. Once I finish, I reach over for my towel on the rack. I quickly dry my hair and body and wrap the towel around me. I walk over to my closet and decide on a white long sleeve shirt and jeans. I slip on my navy Toms. I go back to the bathroom and blow dry my hair. I brush through it and go to my kitchen. I quickly eat a granola bar and drink some water.

In the living room, I see my older sister Koma, passed out on the couch. I felt disgust every time I saw her. We used to get along. When we moved to Jump City, I was a freshman in high school and she was a senior. The boys all immediately fell in love with her and all the girls wanted to be her friend. So she instantly became popular. Me, not so much. I kept myself very isolated. Away from everyone else. I was just known as "Koma's little sister". When she became popular, she thought it would not be cool to hang around me. She completely avoided me at school. Eventually, she avoided me altogether. I am nothing to her. And now, she actually has a good job. She's the manager of a clothing store at the mall. She makes enough money to support us. But when she is not working, she's always out of the house. Partying, drinking, with boys and I cannot imagine what else she could be doing. I am more than disappointed with her. She's had sex in the house while I was here and smokes around me. The only reason I live with her, is because she is the only person who can be my guardian. Three years ago, our parents died back at the island we used to live in, Tameran. They were both brutally murdered by a man from my father's job. He hated my father so much. I have no idea why. He is completely psychotic; I wish I could have beaten him mercilessly. He told Koma and I in the court room, how lucky we were that he did not kill us. I got the goose bumps and shivers down my spine. Those words haunt me every day. I shudder with fear whenever I think about it. Koma was 18 when all of this happened, so she became my guardian. But we decided that we did not wish to live in Tameran anymore. It would give us nothing, but awful memories. We needed a fresh start, so we moved here. When my parents died, Koma and I became inseparable. She was always there for me and so much kinder. But this city has changed her. And it has definitely changed me.

I go upstairs and grab my bag and phone. I leave my house and start walking to school.

Most of the school day goes the same. I do my work and I see Vic, Rachel and Gar. We all sit at the same table at lunch, although I never really eat much. Vic's girlfriend, Karen also sits with us. They used to sit at the table filled with the jocks and cheerleaders, one of the most popular cliques in school. But once Rachel, Gar, and I became so close with Vic and Karen, they decided to sit with us. They told us they'd rather hang out with us then the jocks. Of course at first they got mocked for sitting with us. The quarterback and his cheerleader girlfriend sitting with a bunch of losers? Yeah I know. As I said before, the jocks are rude and the cheerleaders are just stupid and slutty. Vic and Karen are nothing like them

Vic is stuffing his face like usual at lunch. He always tells Gar how disgusting his tofu is and that always sparks the same dumb argument between them, while Karen and Rachel roll their eyes at them and call them idiots. Their silly fights are one of the only things that make me smile at school. The only time you will see me smile at school is whenever I'm with them.

I silently take sips from my water bottle and I can feel Karen stare at me from across the table. I already know what she's going to say.

"Kori, are you gonna eat anything?" She asks sweetly.

I love Karen, she's truly a nice girl and she has an amazing sense of humor. I think she's absolutely perfect for Vic. She's also very beautiful. Her dark brown ringlets frame her face perfectly. And her hazel eyes compliment her dark skin so perfectly. When I first met her, I was so intimidated. Vic introduced to me to her as his girlfriend about 5 months ago. I gave her a nervous smile, but she gave me a welcoming hug. She always takes Rachel and I shopping and to do other girly things. It took some getting used to for Rachel since she is nothing like that, but I know she secretly enjoys getting her nails done.

"No I ate this morning I'm okay." I give her a smile. I'm not sure if she is convinced, but she smiles and nods at me.

We finish lunch and the bell for 5th period rings. I bid my goodbyes to my friends and head for class. I zone out again, not really paying attention while I walk. I get a sick feeling at the pit of my stomach when I realize my boyfriend, Xavier is coming back to school tomorrow. He was suspended last week for getting into a fight. Which is not surprising. He's very violent and has a bad temper. Me having a boyfriend seems a little odd considering I just seem like a miserable, lonely wreck. Xavier and I started dating a few months ago. I did have a little crush on him for a while, but he's rich and popular so I did not think he would ever go for me. But I was wrong. A couple weeks into dating him, that's when I discovered his temper. If a guy looked at me the wrong way, he would want to murder them. And that's when he started to hurt me. After the first time he promised me he would not to do it anymore. So I forgave him. But his promise did not last long. I have lost all my trust and feelings for Xavier. The only reason I am still with him, is because I fear him.

My mind goes crazy just thinking about him returning tomorrow. My heart races uncontrollably. I'm scared of him. I don't know when he'll strike. His temper is so unpredictable.

My thoughts are interrupted when I crash into someone.

"Oh whoops I'm sorry." I recognize that voice.

I look up and see the face of Richard Grayson. _The_ most popular boy in school. Heir to the fortune and business of Wayne Enterprises. Yes, he is your stereotypical rich and popular guy. Every single girl wants him and he is very arrogant. I must be the only girl in school who has no interest in him. For some reason, he is always wearing black sunglasses; I do not think I have ever seen his eyes. He is so odd. But he was one of the first people I met in Jump City. He's the one who showed me around the school, but since then he has changed into an egotistic jerk. We never speak to each other. Except the occasional "Hey can I borrow a pencil?"

"Um, no sorry it was my fault." I say hastily.

He gives me a half ass smile and walks away. Whatever.

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**A/N: **Review please, it's going to get good. :)


	3. Betrayal

**A/N: **Thank you for the reviews! I'm trying to update very frequently so I don't keep you guys waiting. Chapter 4 should be up tomorrow. :) Please review!

_**I must also warn everyone that there is a self harm scene in here so if that offends you please don't read it. I'm also going to put this as rated M now, because of some of the language and content.**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.**

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As soon as I walk into my house, the foul stench of alcohol and cigarettes fills my nose. I wrinkle it in disgust. I see Koma in the living room with a boy. Beer bottles and cigarette buds cover the floor. Seeing her just smoke with this guy made me feel nausea. How could she be doing this in _our_ home? I just want to storm in there right now and tell them both to get the hell out. But I know my sister could take me down. She has always been stronger, physically and mentally. I sigh and start walking towards my room.

"Kori leave right now!" Koma yells.

I furrow my eyebrows. "This is my house too."

She exhales the smoke and tosses the cigarette to the ground.

"No it's not. _I'm _the one who pays for it you worthless bitch." She says crossly.

I look at the guy who is sitting next to her. He is repulsive. Tattoos up and down his arms, piercings, and there was something so cold about the look in his face. Not to mention he smelled awful. He watches Koma and I while inhaling and exhaling his cigarette.

"I'll be leaving soon anyways Koma. As soon as I turn 18, I'm out." I say firmly.

It's true, I want to leave. So desperately. Maybe move far, far away from this city. I probably need to get a job soon so I can actually afford to move somewhere. I'm turning 18 in two months and it's my senior year in high school. I don't even know if I'm going to college yet. I do not know what I am going to do with my life. But I couldn't stand living here any longer. I could not stand to look at my sister anymore. And honestly, it made me really, really sad.

"Why don't you get out now, go live on the streets like the animal that you are." She laughs so cruelly at me. It hurt me so much, how my sister could be so brutal to me. Her own little sister.

I swallow back the lump in my throat. "I can't" I say simply.

"Just leave now. Jackson and I want to spend some time alone." She says while crossing her arms.

I study her appearance. I don't even know if I could consider what she is wearing a top. More like a bra. Her unruly black hair could barely cover her cleavage. Her tiny shorts were hoisted up so much her butt cheeks were hanging out. She never dressed like this before. It's repulsive. She's practically begging this guy for sex with the attire she has on. She looks like some kind of streetwalker. Who knows, maybe she is. I certainly do not know who she is anymore.

"No." I say.

She now stands directly in front of me. She looks like she's ready to kill me.

She narrows her eyes. "Get the fuck out." Her violet eyes are filled with absolute hatred. For me.

"You cannot tell me what to do." I say sternly.

She does not say a word. Instead, she slaps me in the face, as hard as she can. I practically almost fell over, but caught myself. I put my hand to my cheek and looked at her in complete shock. She has never hit me before. Never. She has said vicious words, but I never expected for her to hit me. She is just like Xavier.

"You show her babe!" Jackson says encouragingly.

I look at him with my mouth agape. I could not believe any of this. How could he even want to stay here and witness two sisters fight? Koma has a sickening smirk on her face. She has become such an awful person.

I run out of the house, tears flooding down my cheeks. I didn't know where I was going now, but I didn't care. I just want to run away from here, as far as possible. I never want to see her face ever again. She puts on a show for this stupid guy she just met and slaps me. I don't even know what to think right now.

I finally stop running for what seems like hours. I end up in a park and I realize it's gotten pretty dark outside. I sit against a tree and pant heavily. I finally take some deep breathes to try to stop myself from shaking, but it does not work. I put my hand to my cheek and felt wetness. I look at my fingers and see blood. How she cut up my face from a slap? She must have been wearing a ring. I carefully trace my finger over the cut, it's not too long, but it still does not feel pleasant. I lay my head back. I didn't stop crying the whole time I was running. The tears were just overflowing and soaking my cheeks. I dig in my bag for my razor. I feel it and pull it out. I stare at it. I felt so tempted. I did not want to, but I did at the same time. I couldn't handle all of this pain right now. I just…I have to do it.

I tremble as I slowly pull my sleeve up. I stare at my scars. They are hideous. I would never let anyone see them. They're my biggest flaw, yet I bring it upon myself. There's something terribly wrong with me. I press the blade against my skin and slowly slit my wrist back and forth, until it became too painful. I toss the blade in my bag. The blood oozes out slowly. My tears fall onto my arm. Every time after I do this, I feel so guilty. I feel disgusting. I feel ugly. I do not know why I keep doing this to myself. I suppose I feel like I deserve this. Every bit of it.

I lay my head back against the tree and close my eyes. I want to fall asleep right now and right here. Obviously I can't. But I am too weak to move right now. Physically and emotionally, I am drained.

After sitting there for another 20 minutes, I finally decide to leave. I shudder at the thought of returning home. But I have nowhere else to go.

My hair dances in the wind as I walk and I shiver hysterically. It has gotten so cold, so fast. I look at my most recent cut and see that the blood has dried. I pull my sleeve down and continue walking.

As I walk closer to my house, I notice Koma's car is gone. I could cry of happiness. Thank X'hal.

I step inside and drop my bag to my floor. I pick up the empty beer bottles and cigarette boxes and throw them away. I slowly sweep up the floor. I grab a can of air freshener and spray it around the room. Much better.

I pick up my bag and go to my room. I remove my clothes and go straight to the shower. It makes me feel slightly better. I put on my sweatpants and tank top and fall onto my bed. It doesn't take me long to fall asleep.

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**A/N: **Sorry the chapter is a little short, but the next one will be longer. Xavier is finally coming into the story. Please review. :)))


	4. Fear

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews, keep them coming. :))

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My own reflection horrifies me. My puffy red eyes match my unraveled red hair. The worst of it all is the new scratch on my cheek that Koma caused. I go to my closet and pick out a light blue, long sleeve shirt and a pair of white jeans. I go back to the bathroom and brush through my hair. I stare at myself in the mirror, looking directly at the scratch. I never wear make-up, but today it was needed. I grab a small tube of concealer and put some of the liquid on my finger. As soon as it makes contact with the scratch, it stings. I ignore it and gently blend the concealer in with my skin. I didn't want to deal with my friends asking me about it. I didn't want to lie to them about what really happened.

I slowly open my door and poke my head out. No sign of Koma. I quickly get of the house. I do not want to see her.

As soon I'm in school, it's like a total zoo. All you hear is girls giggling obnoxiously and people swearing like there's no tomorrow. And all you can see are couples making out and objects being thrown. It's a mad house. And that's only one of the reasons why I hate coming here.

As I walk towards my locker, I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around my torso.

"Hey, cutie." A sleek voice greets.

I tense up and feel shivers. He's back. I twist around in his arms to face him.

"Hi Xavier." I say with a fake smile.

"You miss me?" He asks with a smirk.

_No._

"Yes of course. I was…lonely." I speak sadly

He pulls me into him and holds me tighter. His strong scent of cologne and alcohol overwhelms me. Not in a good way.

"Don't worry, baby. I'm here now." He whispers in my ear, giving me more shivers.

"Oh, wonderful." I say unenthusiastically. But he couldn't tell.

The bell for 1st period rings. I try to wriggle out of his arms, but he just keeps holding onto me. Tighter and tighter, like he is trying to suffocate me.

"Xavier-"He puts his cold finger to my lips.

"Cutie, what's the rush? You got some time." He says as he removes his finger.

"I just like to be there early." I say simply.

He raises an eyebrow. "That's lame. You should spend the time you've got with me. I wasn't with you for days. Don't you miss me?"

"Yes Xavier, but I just want to get to class now." I say, completely removing myself from him.

I start walking away from him, but he grabs my wrist and jerks me back. He grabs the wrist with my new cut, which causes me to wince. He holds both of my wrists now. His grey eyes are filled with anger. I know that look. It's the look he always has before he…oh X'hal please no.

"Just wait." He says sternly.

"Xavier, please." He could hear the pleading in my voice, which creates a devilish grin to appear on his face.

"It's really hot when you beg, cutie." He says softly.

I try so hard to pull myself away from him, but he is so much stronger. Nobody can help me now. We are the only ones left in the hallway and the final bell rings. I'm late.

He grabs my face and forces my lips onto his. I take the opportunity I have with both of my hands free and push him off. I know he's angry, but I don't care. I had to get away from him. I run to my class and thankfully, he doesn't chase after me.

I slow down once I see the door to my class. I quickly pat myself down and walk inside. Every single pair of eyes puts their attention to me. This is why I hate being late. My teacher, Mr. Carter crosses his arms and stares at me.

"Any excuse for why you're late, Kori?" He asks.

"No sir." I say quietly.

He shakes his head at me and continues his lesson. I make my way to my seat, right next to Richard. Although he kept his eyes covered, I felt like they were burning right through me. I ignore it and sit down.

During the lesson, I kept feeling this uncomfortable pulsing feeling in my wrist. I put my arm under my desk and slowly pull my sleeve up. My cut looks worse, probably because of what Xavier did. I pull my sleeve back down and my hand gently rubs my wrist. I still felt like Richard was staring at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see he's staring straight ahead. I guess he wasn't.

I ask to go to the bathroom in 4th period. As I'm washing my hands, I look at myself in the mirror. I see a red spot on my cheek. I look more closely and see that the make-up was fading away. Dammit. I didn't bring the concealer with me. I guess I'll have to make up something if my friends ask.

As I'm drying my hands, I hear the sound of heels clicking against the ground. My head turns to the source of the sound and I really wish I had not looked. Kitten Moth, part of the rich and popular clique. Just like Xavier and Richard. She's despised me ever since I moved here. I have no idea why. But ever since Xavier and I started dating, she's been bullying me even more. Probably because she's always had a huge crush on him. But now she's moved onto Richard.

She simply scoffs at me and goes to the mirror and pulls out her make-up. I look at myself once more in mirror next to her. I put my fingers over the scratch.

"Sweetie, if you stare at the mirror any longer it's going to shatter." She sneers while applying lip gloss.

"Leave me alone." I say quietly.

"Aww, what's the matter? You gonna cry?" She mocks as she collects her make-up.

"No." I say.

She smirks. "Whatever, go suck Xavier's dick. That's all you're good for."

She was really pissing me off. I clenched my fists.

"Shut the hell up Kitten." I spit back.

She walks towards me and shoves me against the wall.

"Don't tell me what to do, bitch." She growls.

I stare at her with eyebrows furrowed. I don't say a word. If I say anything else, I know she'll hurt me.

She smirks again, grabs her purse and leaves.

I sigh heavily and leave.

I take small sips from my water bottle while everyone else eats. I felt Rachel stare at my face. I was getting worried; she is probably staring at my scratch.

She finally speaks up. "Kori?"

"Yes?" I answer.

"What happened to your face?" She asks.

"Oh, I uh…I ran into a wall yesterday." What a terrible lie.

She raises an eyebrow. "Oh."

None of my friends know about how my sister really is. That's why I never invite them over to my house. And they don't know about Xavier hitting me. All they know is my parents died when I was 15 and they know about Kitten bothering me sometimes. That's the only things I have ever really confided in them about. If they knew the rest, they'd probably call the police on my sister and Xavier. I didn't want that to happen. I'm afraid that they would both break out of jail and just come back to hurt me again.

"Damn, you must have hit the wall hard." Vic comments.

I chuckle nervously. "Yeah."

I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders.

"Hey cutie." Xavier greets.

I turn my head and face him, flashing him a fake smile.

"Why aren't you sitting with your friends?" I ask.

"What? A guy can't sit with his girlfriend?" He asks, a little suspicious.

"Oh, of course." I say timidly.

He plops down next to me with his arm around my shoulders. I felt the tension now. I know none of my friends really care for Xavier. I've always had that feeling. They don't trust him, because he's been involved with gangs and dealt with drugs and he drinks. Not exactly the greatest or safest lifestyle.

My friends ignore him and continue eating. I felt his arm release from my shoulder and snake over to my leg. He places his hand on my thigh and squeezes it. I try not to jump, but I did not feel comfortable at all. His hand slowly reaches further and further up. I grab his hand and remove it from my thigh.

"Please stop." I whisper.

He pouts. "You're no fun, cutie."

I sigh. "Sorry."

He grins and leans over to whisper in my ear. "This weekend, my parents are out of the house. We can have _tons_ of fun."

I shudder at his words. I don't want to give myself to him. And I don't want to be alone with him. But I can't escape him. He'll drag me all the way if he has to.

I give him the signature fake smile. "Great."

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**A/N: **Next chapter will be better, Richard might be in it. :) Please review! I might post chapter 5 tonight. :))


	5. Empathy

**A:N: **Thank you so much for the reviews, I'm glad you're all liking the story. I know it seems like it's going by kind of slow, but I don't want to rush it. Trust me, I have so much in store for this. Please review. :))

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I put on my black coat and grab my phone. I leave my house and I automatically felt shivers. It has gotten incredibly cold in a matter of days. I see leaves fluttering and being tossed around by the wind. I felt my hair flying everywhere. I crossed my arms and held them close to my stomach. The sky looks so gloomy. The usual vibrant gold and pink painted across the sky is replaced by dull grey and blue.

I push the gate open and it does not take me long to reach the gravestones. I read the names engraved on the gravestones.

_Mya Anders _

_Lua Anders_

I squat down and get closer to the gravestones. My fingers carefully trace and outline the names. My sister and I asked for our parents to be buried here in Jump City, because once we decided we wanted live here, we wanted our parents to be here as well. We wanted to make sure that we could always visit them. But she rarely ever comes here. Only I do.

I sit down with my legs cross and stare at the graves. I wish now more than ever, that I could have them back. They did not deserve this. I need my mother and father so badly. I need their warm hugs and their comfort and love. It's not fair; they were brutally taken away from me. Nothing was fair. I tried to be strong for so long, but I cannot be strong any longer. I need them.

"Kori?" A raspy voice speaks.

I felt startled, who else could be in the graveyard that I know? I turn my head around and see Richard. I felt really confused. What could he be doing here?

"Um, hi. What are you doing here?" I ask.

"I uh…came here to see my parents." He says quietly.

At first, I was still a little confused. But I realize seconds later, what he meant. I had no idea that he was an orphan…I always assumed that Bruce Wayne was his biological father. They did look alike and have many similarities. But Bruce is his adoptive father?

I give him a look of empathy. "I'm sorry."

He gives me a small smile. "It's fine. So…your parents?" He asks while gesturing to the stones in front of me.

I nod.

"What happened?" He asks cautiously. "If you don't mind me asking."

"They were…murdered. By a man my father used to work with." I say.

He frowns. "I'm so sorry, Kori."

"It is okay." I say.

He nods. "Well I should go now."

I watch him walk away, but something was urging for me to go follow him. I guess just felt the curiosity of seeing his parents.

"Richard?" I call.

He turns around.

"May I…come with you?" I ask hesitantly.

He gives me a warm smile and nods.

I walk with him until we finally reach the gravestones.

_John Grayson_

_Mary Grayson_

Richard puts his hand on his mother's grave. He sighs, deeply.

"What happened?" I ask quietly.

He clears his throat. "We were circus performers, acrobats. We were called _The Flying Graysons_. And before one of the shows, this man sabotaged their trapeze. And during the show, they fell."

"Richard…oh my god." I say in horror.

"I saw them fall." He says despondently.

"How old were you?" I ask.

"12." He replies.

I felt my heart twist. He was so young, like me. He witnessed their death and I found my parents' dead bodies. I felt so many emotions overwhelm me. I had so much empathy for him. Losing both of your parents at a young age is very a traumatic thing. And we both lived through it. I had no idea what he had gone through. You look at him and you just don't imagine this sort of thing could have happened to him. I guess that's why you should not judge a book by its cover.

"I am so sorry, Richard." I say gently.

"It's alright, Kori." He says.

I finally notice the two white roses in his hand. He places one in front of his mother's grave and one in front of his father's. I sit in front of the graves and Richard mimics my actions.

"What did your mother look like?" I ask.

My question sparks a smile on his face. "She had short dirty blonde hair and I remember it always smelt like flowers. And she had beautiful green eyes, kind of like yours."

I smile. "She sounds beautiful."

"She was." He says with a smile.

"What about your father?" I ask.

He chuckles. "Let's just say he was a big, tough guy. He had black hair and blue eyes."

"I am sure you looked up to him." I reply.

He nods. "Definitely. I always wanted to be like him. He was just never afraid of anything and he always took good care of my mom and me. He was an amazing dad. I just know that, I want to be a dad like him someday."

"You will be." I give him a small smile.

He smiles back. "I hope so."

We sit in silence for a little while, not an awkward silence though. It was actually nice. I thought about how strange it was for me to talk about my parents so openly with him. And how strange it was for him talk about his parents to me. We _never_ talk. We were never even friends before. I felt a strange connection with him. Just in a way that I could, have a friend that understands my pain. He even tells me some memories he has with his parents. The relationship he had with his parents reminds me of the relationship I had with mine. We were very close and never really fought. They were the most loving parents a child could ask for. And I wish I could have gotten the chance to meet Richard's parents, since they sound so similar to mine. I am sure I would have loved them.

"I don't usually talk about this, with anyone." He says.

"Neither do I. Nobody really understands." I reply.

"Yeah." He says.

"Do you remember how you felt when you saw them…fall?" I ask tentatively.

He nods his head. "You know at first, you don't feel anything, because it just…doesn't make any sense. You're just so numb. But after a while, it finally sinks in. That's when you finally start crying."

"Yes exactly." I say.

"I guess you just assume that your parents are going to be with you forever." He says softly.

I nod. "But at some point you realize that one day they won't be there. I just did not expect for them to be gone so soon."

"Me neither." He agrees.

I did not realize how long Richard and I were talking for. It must have been hours, because it was almost pitch black outside. The only source of light was the moon and a few streetlights. I stand up and brush myself off.

I look down at Richard. "I must get going."

He looks around, realizing too how late it is. "Oh yeah, me too." He says as he stands up.

I begin walking away, but Richard calls my name. I turn around to face him.

"It was nice talking to you." He says with a gentle smile.

"After all these years." I joke.

He chuckles. "See you later."

I give him a small wave and walk home.

I saw a completely different side of Richard Grayson today. Whenever I see him at school he acts so suave and mysterious. From what I have heard about him, he sounded like a spoiled rich kid who chases after pretty girls. But it was wrong for me to judge him without getting to know him. I guess there is more to him than I thought. And I suppose acting mysterious is his way of hiding his vulnerability. For me, I just put on a fake smile so I can hide mine. But to think that the most popular boy in school showed me his true weakness, is pretty amazing.

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**A:N: **I hope you all like this chapter. :) Just a really nice and intimate conversation between them. I thought it'd be a good way for them to start talking. Pleaaase review. :))))


	6. Never Again

**A/N: **So my chapters are usually going to be at least 1,000 words each. They're all a little short, but only because I like I save other things for the later chapters. The only time a chapter won't be so short is if something big happens in the story. And that will definitely happen. But for now I think it's good to give you all multiple short chapters throughout the week instead of taking most of that time to write one long chapter. Because each chapter is a progression towards the story. :) Here's chapter 6, enjoy and review please!

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I see my sister's car in the driveway and I immediately tense up. I feel myself getting sick to the pit of my stomach. Everything that happened between me and her yesterday replays in my mind. I do not want to speak to her and I definitely do not want to see her. I gave her many chances before. Saying that she has been mean to me these past years would be an understatement. When she hit me, I knew it was done. No more chances. I know she would not care anyways, she hates me. My sister hates me. I still love Koma and I always will, but I am done with her. I cannot accept that she would hurt me and feel no remorse. I cannot be physically abused by two people everyday. Xavier is enough already, I cannot let my sister do that to me. She has burned every bridge and I am not letting her fix them. But just I miss how our relationship used to be, so much. She was the sweetest person and now…she is ruthless. I wish I could move out now. But when I am of age, I don't know where I will go or how I will be able to afford it. I don't want to be stuck with Koma. I know she will kick me out for good eventually.

My hands trembles as I reach for the knob. What if she ambushes me? When she is drunk she is dangerous. And she's drunk 99% of the time. So she is always vicious. Without the alcohol, she's not as bad. But that's very rare. Most of the time she is drunk and she is brutal. Brutal with her words and recently I have learned, her actions. I finally build up the courage and open the door.

The lights inside are dimmed down and it looks incredibly foggy inside. The filthy smoke engulfs me. I hear music loudly playing and as I take a closer look, I see Koma with several friends smoking, drinking and laughing. Then I see, Koma smoking out of a…I think it's called a bong? Whatever it's called, it was a sickening sight. To see my own sister doing such a thing is truly upsetting. I also saw empty red cups scattered everywhere, along with beer bottles.

I don't say anything to Koma. I know I will just upset her and ruin her "fun". And she will hurt me…I go straight to my room trying my best not to be seen by her or her friends. Once I'm in my room I can finally breathe. I almost wanted to gag up one of my lungs it smelt so bad in the living room. I don't get how they can stand such awful smells.

I take a quick shower and get dressed for bed. I turn on my fan and lay down. I toss and turn most of the night, not feeling comfortable in my own home. Koma's friends have been here for hours and the music is still blaring. I look at my clock. It's almost 3 A.M. I can't believe this. I have to wake up in 3 hours for school. I groan in frustration and bury my head underneath all of my pillows, trying to block out all of the noise. Finally, I drift off to a very unpleasant sleep.

I wake up with a pounding headache. I weakly get out of bed and slowly get dressed. I warily open my door and see people, including Koma, scattered on the living room floor. With an even bigger mess than what I saw last night. I wanted to punch a wall, I was so angry. I wanted all of these people out. This is not the type of environment that I wanted to live in or be around. Not to mention I barely got any sleep, because of them.

I grab my bag and leave the house.

The whole school day, I could not focus. Not one bit. I was beyond tired. There were several times I would doze off for a couple seconds, but I quickly snapped my eyes back open. I forced myself to concentrate, but it was too hard. Just thinking about Koma doing such vile things in the house made me so upset. I wish I could have a safe haven. Some place that I could feel comfortable going to, knowing that I will be sheltered and happy. Like a 2nd home. I could not go to any of my friends' houses, I would be intruding and I did not want to have to explain why I wanted to be there all the time. So for now, I'm stuck.

I'm taking really sloppy notes right now in history class. I am normally very organized, but like I said, today is not my day. I am just exhausted and I wanted to get this over with. My eyes wander around the room for a second. I catch a glimpse of Richard. I remember our conversation from yesterday. It was weird to think that we had a really intimate talk and had never really talked to each other prior. We opened up to each other so quickly about the worst things that had ever happened to us; our parents' deaths. He even told me he never talks about his parents with anyone. Which makes sense since he is a little reclusive. Whenever I see him he's walking with his head down and hands in his pockets. Usually a few girls practically beg for his attention. Sometimes I see him flirt back, but other times he seems to shut them out. And you know someone is extremely secretive if they wear sunglasses every day, so that no one can see their eyes. But from what I saw from yesterday, I believe he is a very insecure and sensitive guy, deep down inside. I could be wrong. But why would a "cool guy" like him to someone like me about such a personal thing? And why did _I_ talk to him about such a personal thing? It's very odd think about. But I will admit, it was nice to talk to someone who understands.

He glances over his in my direction and I quickly avert my eyes from him. I wonder if we will actually continue to talk to each other or was that just a onetime thing. I do not think it would completely upset me if we never talked again. I mean, we are not even friends. It was just a talk, right?

I feel my phone vibrate softly in my pocket. I grab it and discreetly check my message.

"_Im takin you home with me on friday babe. remember my parents wont be here...we can be all alone ;)"_

I shudder at the thought of spending a whole weekend alone with Xavier. I really, really did not wish to go home with him. I do not want to be alone with him. Who knows what he'll do to me…He could force me into sex and if I don't comply, he'll just hurt me.

My fingers slowly press the keys, regretting every letter I type.

"_Okay, I can't wait. :)"_

I hesitantly send the message and shove my phone back in my pocket. I pray that nothing bad will happen this weekend. I hope to X'hal that I don't give myself to him and that I make it out of there without any bruises. I am scared beyond belief. Every second of the day, I am scared. I don't know what's going to happen next. I just know something bad always happens. I wish that I could have just one good day. Better yet, maybe a good life. I am just a frightened little girl who can't fight back. And it is pathetic. I wish I could stand my ground, say no and get help. But I just can't. I don't know what is wrong with me. One might think that I enjoy this sadness, but I don't. But it is definitely the only feeling that I am familiar with now.

The bell rings and I gather my papers and shove them into my bag. I look up to see Richard is already almost out the door. I thought maybe he would at least say hi to me, since we had poured out our feelings onto each other. But I guess it really was just a onetime thing.

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**A/N: **So Kori's weekend with Xavier is coming up and it's going to be very intense...chapter 7 might be up tomorrow. Review please! :)


	7. Going Under

**A/N:** To the reviewer called "Someone" thank you for your review! I do know that Kori's name is really spelled Kory, but I just really like her name with an "i" if you guys don't mind. :) And with Richard/Dick's name, that's what I plan on doing. Only Kori is going to call him Richard and everyone else calls him Dick. She calls him Richard, because that's how he introduced himself when they first met when she moved to Jump City, but since then he goes by the name Dick. And Kori is definitely not falling for him too easily, that would ruin the story. I don't like rushing the love so quickly. I want it to build up gradually. :) I appreciate your review and everyone else's!

**Please Read: I am going to be very busy the rest of the week. On the weekend, I won't be home or have any internet access. I _might_ squeeze in one more chapter before I go. But just letting you all know ahead of time why I can't update the rest of the week. But Sunday night I'll be back and start working on the next chapter! So please don't leave me! :(**

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He looks over at me and smirks. He knows I'm afraid. Knowing that he frightens me, gives him some kind of sick pleasure. I look out the window and absent mindedly play with my hair. My stomach churns and my heart is beating unsteadily. I wish I could jump out of this car. Just so I could get away from Xavier and just end it all. For good. I hate my life, I hate it all. I'm stuck in this car with a guy who most likely plans on raping me and hurting me. And there is nothing I can do. I'm a coward.

Xavier keeps one hand on the steering wheel and moves the other towards my leg. He gives my thigh a quick squeeze and slowly caresses it. I shiver under his touch. I wanted to punch him in the face so hard, but I know he can just fight back.

"Almost there, babe." He reassures me.

It does anything, but reassures me. It just makes me more and more nervous.

I give him a weak smile and look away. I've been to Xavier's house a few times, but his parents were always there. And I knew he would never try anything while they were present. But now that we are going to be alone, he is going to do everything he can to take advantage of me.

I cautiously walk inside his house and follow him. He leads me upstairs to his bedroom. He opens his door and notices I don't follow him inside. I already know where this is going.

"Come on cutie. I can't do all the work without you." He winks and grabs my hand.

I wanted to throw up at his comment. But once he has a hold of my hand, he pulls me inside, not as forcefully as usual though. He sits on his bed and gives me a very devious look. His eyes gesture to the spot next to him on the bed. I pretend that I don't take the hint and sit on his desk chair instead.

"Cutie, come here." He says.

"I am comfortable here." I say.

"Please, cutie. I want some company, I'm lonely." He says more playfully.

"But I like sitting here." I say.

"Don't make me come over there and get you." Although he was still trying to be playful, I could hear a hint frustration in his voice.

"Xavier I don't want to." I say sharply.

"Kori, just get over here." He says impatiently. He never says my name unless he's angry. And I know I have definitely pissed him off.

I look down at my lap. "Please Xavier." "I say softly.

Xavier stands up. "What's wrong with you? Why don't you want to sit with your own boyfriend?" He asks angrily.

"Because I know what you are like." I whisper.

"So what the hell are you doing here if you don't even want to be with me?" He asks harshly.

"Because…" I trail off. Doesn't he already know?

"'Cause what?" He asks.

"I'm scared of you." I say.

I expected more yelling, but instead he _laughs_. So he thinks it is funny that his own girlfriend fears him? I furrow my eyebrows at him.

"What?" I say while narrowing my eyes.

"Ha, sorry babe. But that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." He says casually.

I stand up and clench my fists. "Are you kidding me Xavier?! You hit me! All the fucking time you hurt me!"

He scoffs. "You're crazy."

My eyes widen. "Me crazy?! _You _are the crazy one!"

"Whatever Kori." He says indifferently.

I felt myself getting so frustrated. He's just acting dumb. He knows what he does. He knows what he is. He's a monster. A violent, psychopathic monster. I hate him. I hate him so much. He has made my life even worse than it already was. A living hell.

I stand there, so dumbfounded. And to my surprise, I felt warm tears forming in my eyes. And I just let it out. I silently cry, fold my arms and lay my head against the wall. I felt Xavier snake his arms around my waist. I felt wet kisses trailing along my neck. I don't stop him. I felt too weak to fight him back anymore. I felt him nibble on my neck and his hands slowly moved up towards my chest. I grabbed his hands and pulled them off.

"Stop." I whisper.

"C'mon cutie. I'm sorry. You're not crazy." He says softly.

"I don't want to be around you right now." I say.

"Cutie please." He says.

I sigh. "Leave me alone, Xavier."

"Please forgive me, babe." He says sadly.

"No Xavier!" I shout and push him away. I start walking towards his door. He grabs me by the waist and throws me to the floor. I felt my shoulder crack painfully. I look up at him in horror.

"You're not going anywhere." He says coldly.

I scramble to my feet and try to run, but he grabs me again. He picks me up and this time he throws me on his bed. He straddles me and grabs my face with one hand and turns my head so I face him. His cold, grey eyes stare deeply into me.

"Don't even try to fucking fight me." He growls.

I slap him hard in the face and try to push him off, but I can't. He was too heavy and strong. And I am too weak and small. He laughs mockingly and grabs both of my wrists and pins them on either side of my head. He pushes his lips onto mine. I felt his tongue lick my lips, begging for entrance. I felt so sick. I didn't want him to kiss me or touch me or be with me. I don't want him. I kick my leg up into his groin and he rolls off. He moans in pain and I take my chance. I dash out of his room and head for the stairs. Halfway through the stairs, he grabs me again. He was squeezing my stomach so hard that it was hard to breathe. I struggle under his grasp. He tries to push me down the stairs, but I quickly catch myself. Soon, I'm off the stairs and almost at the front door. I put my hand on the knob and felt a hard punch to my face. I fall back. I put my hand to my face and felt the uncomfortable, twitching pain. I look up at Xavier and see fresh cuts along his knuckles. A sinister smile creeps onto his face and he cracks his knuckles. I try to kick him again, but he catches my foot this time. He drags me across the floor. When we reach the stairs, he pulls me over his shoulders and I hang like a lifeless body. As he walks up the stairs, I repeatedly punch his back and kick my legs around. It doesn't affect him at all. He carries me all the way back to his bedroom. With one hand, he locks the door with some sort of key.

"So you can't get out this time, cutie." He says menacingly.

He puts the key in his pocket and throws me back on the bed. I felt my face throbbing. He had punched me hard and I felt the cut on my face. I felt myself getting a headache. My tears have not stopped falling. They continue to stream down my face. I am pretty sure it's over for me now. He has me locked in here. No one can hear my screams or help me. I'm done.

He straddles me again. He grinds his hips into mine and I whimper. He smirks and pushes his lips against mine again. I don't kiss him back, but I don't stop him. Like I said, there is no point. I cannot be helped now. His hands travel my entire body. He grabs my thighs hard. Next, my butt. And then, my chest. He was groping me and it was the most torturous thing I have ever experienced. He was not gentle or kind. He was rough. When he finished fondling me, he tried to take my clothes off. I squirmed against his body, but he had so much power over me. He grabs the collar of my shirt and rips my entire shirt in half. My mouth drops and he touches my chest again. I could not stop crying. This wasn't fair. I don't want him to touch me. I felt so violated and disgusted. He pulls my pants down to my ankles, along with my underwear. I tried to cover myself, but he pinned both of my wrists back. He pulls his shirt off and unbuckles his pants. He pulls his underwear down and I look away quickly.

"Come on baby, you're insulting me." He says teasingly.

"I do not wish to do this Xavier!" I shout.

He puts his finger to my lips. "Shh baby. It won't hurt that bad." He says mischievously.

I see him lean in towards my body and I let out the most bloodcurdling scream I could possibly produce.

"No! Please no!" I cry.

I felt my adrenaline building inside me. I release my arms from his grasp and punch him hard in the head. He immediately falls back. I look at him warily. And to my utter surprise, I knocked him out. I did not know I could do that. I have never been strong.

I quickly pull my pants up and grab my bag. I walk over to Xavier's unconscious body and reach inside his pocket for the key. Once I have it, I unlock the door in a jiffy. I drop the key and run down the stairs. I reach the front door and realized my shirt was ruined and I could not go outside like this. I reach inside my bag for my hoodie. I drop the bag, pull my hoodie over my head and grab my bag again. I open the door and run faster than I have ever run before.

I could see the tears still flying out my eyes. My heart beat was going insane. It was so dark outside and it was very frightening. I felt like Xavier was going to pop out from any corner and just take me away again. The thought makes me run even faster.

I felt so much relief when I saw my house after almost 15 minutes of running. I run until I reach my front door. I pull on the knob and realized the door is locked. My hands hurriedly search for my key inside my bag. Once I get it, I unlock the door and run inside. I lock the door again. My eyes search around for my surroundings. Nobody's here. Thank X'hal.

I go in my room and remove all my clothes. I was too fatigued to even take a shower. I put on a sweater, a pair of baggy pajama pants and socks. I turn on my fan and weakly crawl into bed. I have been crying for hours and I knew the tears were not going to stop anytime soon.

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There it was, one of the first big problems to happen in the story. And there's only more to come. Pleaaase review!:) And remember if I don't have a chapter out before Friday, there won't be one until Sunday. :( Bear with me please!


	8. Heaven

**A/N:** I'm so sorry I took so long! So much came up. :( I got sick, had work and had do a bunch of work for school. But I finally got time to finish the chapter. Thank you so much for your patience. :) And I have only 7 school days left! So I'll get to write and update a lot more after. And yes this story is quiet depressing and dark, that's why I'm writing it. I think shows a totally different side of Starfire. It's pretty hard to write her character in such a different way, but I like it. :)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.**

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_I was falling endlessly. Just falling and falling. Never resurfacing. This is the end of me. I'm not going to come back. Just make it quick. I don't want even a second to think about it. Give me no time to ponder what I'm doing. Please, just let me go. Leave me be. Let me fall. I don't want to come back. If I wanted to stay, my feet would be planted firmly on the ground. I would be steady and confident. My lifeless body would not be sinking away now. I am frail and helpless. There is nothing anyone can do._

My body jolts rigorously. I pant heavy and hard and I felt sweat trickle down my forehead. I squeeze my eyes tight and I felt tears slowly seep out. I finally catch my breath. I know I just had a dream…or maybe a nightmare. Not sure. All I could remember is that I was falling for what seemed like forever. And I felt incredibly emotional right now. It must have been a really sad dream if I was crying in my sleep...I look at my clock.

4:45 A.M

I got out of my bed and decided to take a shower. Perhaps it would please me for the moment. Once I finished, I dressed in comfortable clothes. I crawled back into my bed and enveloped myself in my blanket. I tried falling back asleep, but it was nearly impossible. I just kept myself up from thinking and thinking and thinking. There was no way I was going to be able to stop myself from thinking. My mind has taken control over me. You just have one thought and it quickly snowballs into more thoughts. You ask yourself "What if?" and "Why did that have to happen?" You create horrible scenarios and replay them over and over. It's just a never ending cycle.

I wish I could talk to someone. I wish I could pour my heart out to them and drown them in my sorrow. Just so they could understand how I feel. But I cannot. I can't trust anyone with my problems. If I tell anyone, it will just create more problems. I don't want to get anyone involved and drag them into my misery. It would not be fair.

I fell asleep for only 20 minutes and decided to stay awake since I had to get ready for school anyways. I change out of my comfortable clothes and put on a grey long sleeve shirt and jeans. I brushed through my hair and grab my bag. I sit in my living room and turn on the news.

As I was sitting there, blankly staring at the TV, I thought about what happened two days ago. I thought about what Xavier tried to do and how he hurt me and how I knocked him out and barely escaped. I am surprised he hasn't come looking for me. The whole weekend I kept myself in solitary confinement. I have been terribly anxious the whole time. I've just been thinking, _"Come on, if you are going to kill me, do it now. Get it over with. I can't live like this. I cannot be in constant fear." _I'm so scared to go to school today; I know I'll see him. I don't know what he'll do though. He could hurt me there or drag me out of the school and hurt me somewhere else. There's no way out of this. Eventually, he will get revenge on me.

I arrive at school and the queasy feeling in my stomach doesn't go away. It just worsens. My heart rate was so unsteady and my legs felt like they wanted to give out. I decided to walk faster and ignore everyone. Just get to class.

I shove past everyone. I could practically hear my heartbeat in my ears, it was so loud. I could see the door to my class from here. It motivated me to walk even faster. I was panting, not out of exhaustion, but from fear. Please don't find me, Xavier. Please.

"Kori?"

It wasn't Xavier's voice who called me, it was just Rachel. I felt relieved. I stop in my tracks and face her. The fake smile plasters across my face.

"Hello." I greet.

"Hi…are you okay?" She asks.

I nod. "Why yes of course."

"Oh, just wondering. 'Cause you're practically running like a murderers chasing you."

I chuckle nervously. "Just getting here early, because I like to…have quiet time before everyone else gets there."

Rachel laughs softly. "Yeah, I do that too."

I smile at her. "See you later!"

I don't wait for her to reply; I go inside my class and go straight to my seat. Once I'm settled, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

I excuse myself to go to the bathroom in 6th period. I haven't seen Xavier yet. He wasn't in our 5th period class, which made me feel a little more relaxed.

As I'm washing my hands, I felt as though someone was blowing air onto my shoulder. I shiver at the cold breeze and look over my shoulder. No one's there. I glance up at the mirror and I see a figure standing behind me. My head snaps to look at the figure, but I see no one there. I grab a paper towel and dry my hands. I look up at the mirror again and see Xavier in the reflection. My eyes widen in fear. I look behind me, but once again no one is there. I felt myself getting frustrated. I could hear his voice echo in the bathroom. He was taunting me and calling my name.

"Stop…" I whisper.

"_What's that cutie? Can't hear you. No one can." _

I felt warm tears brimming out and I clenched my fists tightly.

"Please, go away." I say a little bit louder.

"_How do you expect anyone to save you when they can't even hear you crying?"_

"Stop." I say louder.

I look up at the mirror and there he is again. He had his arms crossed and he was smirking. I stare at the reflection and his dark coal eyes stare at my reflection.

"_No one is going to help you Kori."_

I don't respond to Xavier's reflection. I just stare and silently cry. And I could feel my blood boiling.

"_You're weak."_

"Shut up!" I yell.

"_Weak and pathetic. Just wait til I get my hands on you."_

"SHUT UP!" I shriek. My fist lunges forwards towards his reflection and breaks the mirror. I hear the pieces of broken glass clank against the sink and fall to the floor. At first, what I do doesn't faze me. I just breathe heavily. I look down in horror at my hand and see that it is covered in my blood. I quickly grab paper towels and sloppily wrap it around my hand. I grab my bag from the floor and put the strap over my shoulder. I rush out of the bathroom and collide into a very solid chest. I look up and see that I bumped into Richard. He could see my tear stained cheeks and the blood was seeping through the paper towel around my hand.

"Kori what happened?" He asks worriedly.

I didn't know what to say. I froze. There was no possible excuse that I could say to make this situation look okay. So I did what I always do in my all of my problems; I ran. I ignore his voice shouting to me and keep running. I run out school and go straight home.

I slam my front door and drop my bag to the ground. Without warning, I collapse. I felt incredibly weak from running nonstop, not to mention I haven't eaten today or gotten much sleep. I curl up into a ball and silently sob. His voice still echoes through my head. I felt goose bumps crawl up and down my spine. Xavier is haunting me. Even if he is not physically there, he is still there. And that's completely horrifying. He will never be out of my life. I can't escape him. I disregard my bloody hand. I just hope it's not so badly wounded that I need to go to the hospital.

I hear pounding at the front door. My body freezes. It's _him_. He's coming back for me. There is nothing I can do, but lie here in agony and anxiousness as I await for him to come hurt me. I bury my face into the ground, still curled up. My tears were pooling onto the ground. The door finally opens. My body stiffens even more. Instead of the cold, rough hands I was expecting to grab me, I felt warm and gentle hands on my arm. The person's scent was unfamiliar. Definitely wasn't Xavier's overwhelming alcohol and cigarette stench. It was a…smell that did overwhelm me, but in a way that made me weak and fluttery at the same time. I don't open my eyes to look at the person. Perhaps I'm in heaven now. And they are my angel.

The angel scoops me up gently. I couldn't help but nuzzle into them and continue to weep. Their arms were so comforting, so relaxing, so warm and yet protective. The angel carries me and stops. They take my wounded hand carefully and I hear the sound of a water faucet turning on. They put my hand under the water. I flinch at the contact with the water, because it stings my hand. Eventually I ease up at the water. Once they finish, I felt them drying my hand. They lay me on a soft surface. And then, I felt something being wrapped around my hand. Once they finish that, they lay my hand gently over my stomach. The warm hand touches my forehead and rubs it tenderly for a few moments. And that was that. My angel left me. I never opened my eyes once, but I felt that their presence was gone. That smell and warmth wasn't with me anymore. I felt disappointed. I wish I saw my angel. But I just felt so comfortable when they were taking care of me, I could have dozed off. But once they left, it doesn't take me long to drift off to sleep.

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**A/N: **Sorry it's not the best, but a lot more will be happening! Once again, I'm sorry it took so long. :(( But I would appreciate it if you all reviewed!3


	9. Only A Dream

**A/N: **On my author's note I said that I added something new to chapter 8, but I just looked at it and realized I never replaced the chapter with the document that had the new part on it! I'm so sorry!:( I just fixed that, so please go read the end of chapter 8 before you read this or you'll be confused! And once again sorry this took a little long to upload! But school will be over this Tuesday so I can write more often then! Keep reviewing!:)

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It felt like somebody was squeezing my head as hard as they could. But it was just a really painful headache. It woke up me around 4:00 A.M. Two hours before I have to wake up for school. There is no way I could fall back asleep now. Oh well. How did I get on the couch anyways? I don't remember falling asleep here. I shrug and go to my room. As I get undressed, I noticed that gauze was wrapped around my wounded hand. I don't remember doing that…I take off the gauze and get in the shower. After that, I get dressed into my white coat, black leggings and black boots. It has gotten considerably cold here in Jump City. Like I said before, I don't mind the winter season. I don't really get cold too easily, but it was about 35 degrees today. Even I can't handle this.

I made myself a hot cup of tea. I drank it slowly as I watched the news. There have been a lot of crimes lately. Most of them having to do with a few particular groups of gangs. They've been robbing some small stores and smuggling drugs. Could Xavier be involved in this? He used to be in a gang before and did all of this horrible stuff before we started dating. He told he stopped, but I never believe anything he says. Honestly, I don't care if Xavier does this. As long as I don't get thrown into this. I'm not sure if I even consider Xavier my boyfriend anymore. But there was no way I could ever tell him that. He would have to be the one to do the breaking up. But that will never happen either. He's going to keep me around for as long as he wants and kill me when he's done. I continue to sip my tea and watch the news with an eerie feeling. The thought that eventually, Xavier will kill me gives me sick and empty feeling inside of me.

My front door swings open and my head turns to see Koma. She looks awful, like she has been beaten. Her clothes were torn up and bruises and cuts covered up her normally glowing skin. But now her skin looked pale and her eyes were bloodshot. She looks at me and her eyes give me a look plea. I put my cup on the coffee table and cautiously walk over to her. She holds onto her stomach and groans in pain.

"Koma…what happened?" I ask quietly.

She doesn't answer. Instead she falls and I catch her before she hits the ground. I study her face more thoroughly. She had a black eye, bloody nose and some cuts here and there.

"Koma tell me what happened." I demand this time.

"I…I can't." She muttered.

"Why not?" I ask irritated.

"I just can't." She says.

"Fine, but I'm going to take you to the hospital." I say.

"No!" She tries to get up, but falls back into my arms and groans again.

"What do you mean no? Look at you!" I say.

"I'm okay. Please I can't go to the hospital!" She cries.

"But why?" I ask confused.

"Kori you need to understand that I can't tell you anything, okay?" She says sternly.

I grow frustrated with her. "Koma I _don't_ understand. Somebody hurt you and you won't tell what's going on!"

She struggles to stand up, but does it. She looks down at me with tears in her eyes.

"I just can't." She whispers. She goes to her room and shuts the door, leaving me even more confused.

I'm sitting in math class right now. We were allowed to get with a partner and work on the assignment, but I really wasn't in the mood to work with people. I just wasn't focused right now. Koma was on my mind the whole time. She comes home beat up and she won't tell me why. It worries me, a lot. I know that there was a lot that I did not know about Koma's life, but if someone is hurting her, I need to know about it. I was still angry with Koma, but I'm not going to sit here and let her get beat up. I need to help her. But how? She won't tell me anything.

I felt someone tap my shoulder. I look over and see the familiar sunglasses and jet black hair.

Richard gives me a small smile. "Can I work with you?"

I'm a little caught off guard, but I nod my head. He smiles again and sits next to me. We silently begin working on our assignment. With the occasional, "What did you get for this question?" But most of the time, it was silent. I was glad he didn't pester me about yesterday.

He clears his throat. "Can I ask you something?"

I nod, keeping my eyes on my paper.

"Um, what happened to you yesterday?" He asks.

Goddammit.

"Nothing." I respond and continue to write.

"I don't believe that." He says.

I furrow my eyebrows, but I don't look at him.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way." I say simply.

"Kori, what do you expect? Your hand was bloody and had cuts and glass all over it. And I saw the broken mirror in the bathroom." He says.

"Nothing happened ok-wait…how do you know my hand had glass in it?" I question while looking at him. I couldn't tell what his emotions were. He could conceal them with those damn glasses.

"I…uh I could see it on your hand when I saw you." He stuttered.

I raise an eyebrow at him. "But my hand was covered with a paper towel."

He opens his mouth to speak, but the bell rings and interrupts him. He seems relieved. And he doesn't waste anytime rushing out of class. I sit there confused. How did he know my hand had glass in it? _I_ didn't even know my hand had glass in it. I mean I figured since I punched a mirror, but I didn't examine my hand or anything. I didn't clean it up or put the gauze around it. I vaguely remember what happened when I got home. I remember falling to the ground and crying and waiting for Xavier to walk in and hurt me. But he never did...someone else was there. The angel. The angel that took care of me. They put the gauze around my hand and lied me on the couch. I thought it was a dream. Well, it had to be a dream. Maybe I am going crazy. I had to have been the one to do all of that. This angel thing was just in my head. But I was still confused on how Richard knew about the glass in my hand...Well I guess it was obvious, I punched a mirror. Anyone could have figured that out.

I gather my things and slowly leave the classroom. I see Gar in the hallway.

"Hey Kori! Ready for the lab in chemistry?" He asks with a grin.

"As long as you do not blow anything up." I say with a chuckle.

"Hey that was one time!" He pouts.

I giggle at him and walk with him to class.

I was beginning to zone out again in chemistry. I was still worried about Koma, Xavier and I couldn't help but feel a little sad about my dream.

A part of me wishes that my angel was real.

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**A/N: **Sorry the chapter is a bit short, but everything is slowly building up. Be patient:)) Review please!


	10. Haunted

**A/N: **Hey I'm not dead! You guys must hate me for taking so long, but I'm definitely not gonna leave you guys hanging anymore. This story isn't over. :) So much has happened with me, I got so busy. I'm so sorry. :(( I almost published a shortened version of this chapter a week ago, but i knew it wasn't right yet. So I had to think about what else I could add on to make this longer. So here it is, remember everything is slowly coming together. :) please review!

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It's been a week since that day Koma came home beat up, I haven't seen much of her. She is usually out all the time anyways and I knew she was just partying, but something else is going on now. Why would someone want to hurt Koma? Did she start a fight with them? Call them names? Maybe she just got into a drunken fight with some girl at a club or something. But if that was the case, she wouldn't have looked so…petrified. She's usually so ruthless. And she told me that she could not tell me what happened. But why? This is all so confusing. I fear that someone is holding control over Koma. I hope she is not involved in anything dangerous.

When I get home from school, I notice that Koma isn't here again. Maybe this would be a good time to try to figure out what's going on. I gingerly walk into her room. I can't remember the last time I was in here. The usual smell of alcohol and cigarettes engulf me. Clothes cover her floor, along with empty beer bottles and cartons of cigarettes. I'm not sure where to begin or what the hell to look for. I open her drawers and scramble through there, but there's not much. I look in her nightstand and find several envelopes containing letters. I know it's wrong for me to be looking through her mail, but I just really needed to find out what was going on. Most of them are just old bills. I open the envelope from her job. At the top of the letter it says, "**TERMINATION NOTICE"**. What?! She got fired?! I scan through the letter. Most of it says what she can do with her remaining paychecks and such. None of it says why she got fired. I look at the date; she got this about a month ago. How has she been able to pay the bills? And why didn't she tell she got fired? This is awful…how are we going to live here?

I hear footsteps outside of Koma's door and I freeze. Oh shit.

The door swings open and I don't dare to turn and face her.

"Kori what the hell are you doing?" She asks irritably.

"I should be asking you the same thing…" I whisper.

"What?" She asks, getting more frustrated.

I face her, with the letter in my hand.

"You got fired?!" I shout.

Her eyes widen. "Why are you going through my mail?!"

"Answer me Koma!" I shout again.

She ignores me and flares her nostrils. She charges towards me and rips the letter out of my hand.

"Don't go through my mail you bitch!" She growls.

Although her harsh tone cuts through me, I don't flinch. I narrow my eyes and cross my arms.

"Why did you not tell me?" I ask.

"There's no need." She replies flatly.

"No need?!" I yell. "Koma, how are we going to pay for anything?!"

"I've got it covered, don't worry." She says.

"How?" I ask.

"Kori, I said don't worry." She says while gritting her teeth.

"How can you say that? Of course I'm going to worry!" I frown.

She sighs. "Just trust me, alright?"

I sigh in defeat. There is never a use for arguing with Koma. She always wins.

"Okay." I reply quietly.

I begin walking away and I turn around to look at her when I'm at her doorway.

"I'm sorry for going through your mail." I don't wait for her to answer. I slowly shut the door behind me.

I tap my pencil against my desk repetitively. My mind is zoned out again. Thinking of many, many things. Mostly Koma and Xavier were consuming my mind. Koma told me not to worry. But of course, I will worry. I have no idea how she's paying our bills. How can we possibly keep living there? She doesn't have a job, so how is she getting money? Could she possibly be…

"No…" I whisper to myself. But Vic hears me. He nudges me softly on my arm.

"Kori, what's wrong?" He whispers to me.

I look up at him. His dark brown eyes are full of concern.

"Oh, nothing. I was just daydreaming." I say with a sheepish smile.

Vic smiles. "Oh, well okay."

I look away from him and my smile falters. It makes me sad that I don't tell Vic anything anymore. I don't tell any of my friends anything. I just don't want to involve them. I have too many problems. I'm a handful. This is the easiest way they can deal with me.

But I think of the talk I had with Richard at the cemetery. How I opened up so easily to him and how he did the same. So strange…but I felt comfortable. And I've always wanted to talk to someone like that. Not caring about whether or not if they would judge me and letting out my feelings. But Richard and I act like it never even happened. We don't even talk much. It's back to where we used to be. Strangers.

Every time I walk anywhere, it feels like the whole world is going in slow motion, yet everything is passing by so quickly. Everyone is living their lives. Going to parties, making memories, having the time of their lives and me? I'm just doing what I need to do to get out of high school and sulking. It's my senior year, so I'm almost done. I have been accepted to a few colleges and as of right now I'm going to Gotham University. And I'm very lucky I'll be going there, it's the one of the top universities. I'm only able to go, because of the many scholarships I received. I guess one thing I can praise myself for is being smart. And I really had no idea what I wanted to major in. I just decided on Journalism since writing is easy for me.

Even though I will go to an amazing university, I feel like I'm wasting my life away. I just sit around and feel sad and empty all the time. And I really don't know how to stop that feeling.

I excuse myself to go to the bathroom and give Vic a reassuring smile when he gives me a concerned look. He still doesn't believe me when I say I'm fine. I don't blame him. Everything about me is fake. From my smiles, to my words, to my life.

Every time I walk anywhere, it feels like the whole world is going in slow motion, yet everything is passing by so quickly. Everyone is living their lives. Going to parties, making memories, having the time of their lives and me? I'm just doing what I need to do to get out of high school and sulking. It's my senior year, so I'm almost done. I have been accepted to a few colleges and as of right now I'm going to Gotham University. And I'm very lucky I'll be going there, it's the one of the top universities. I'm only able to go, because of the many scholarships I received. I guess one thing I can praise myself for is being smart. And I really had no idea what I wanted to major in. I just decided on Journalism since writing is easy for me.

I go in one of stalls and lock it. I rest my back against the wall and sigh heavily. I know I said I wanted to leave Koma as soon as I turn 18, but who am I kidding? I can't even afford a dorm room. And I don't even know how she is able to afford our house. She said don't worry, but I can't stop worrying. Sooner or later, she won't be able to keep this up. I have to get a job. I need to help pay the bills since Koma isn't reliable anymore. She's been acting so different. She doesn't seem so dominating anymore. She just seems…like me. So weak and scared. I don't know what goes on in her life. It's pretty terrifying. I don't know who she is.

I felt like I was sweating now and my forehead was on fire. I leave the stall and go to one of the sinks. I run the water under my hands and splash my face. So stressed…I'll never get a chance to breath.

I walk back slowly to my class. No hurry at all. Any quiet time I have is something I cherish.

I hear the sound of footsteps echoing through the hallway, but ignore it. It sounds like they are coming from behind me, but I still ignore it. Probably just a student. But the footsteps get closer…right behind me. I felt the person's body heat on me now. I swiftly turn around and see no one…I briefly scan my eyes around the hallway and continue to walk.

But as soon as I turn, I feel that strange aroma again. As if somebody is right behind me. I hear the footsteps again. Each time I turn around, no one is there. I must be going mad.

"_Hey, cutie."_

I cringe when that voice echoes in my ears. He's not here. He's not here. He can't be. I'm just hearing things again. I haven't seen him since that day…Why hasn't he been at school? Surely he should have come by now to hurt me…It's so torturous waiting for someone to hurt you.

"_Go away."_ I think to myself.

"_But it's been so long, babe."_ He replies back.

"_I do not want to see you."_

"_But I love you."_

"_No, you do not."_

"_How can you say that, cutie?"_

"_If you loved me, you would never hurt me."_

His villainous laugh mocks me. _"I've never hurt you. You're crazy, Kori."_

I clench my fists tightly. _"Do not call me that."_

"_Listen to yourself right now, Kori. You're talking to yourself."_

"_Shut up, just shut up."_

"_What did I tell ya? Crazy."_

I put my hands to face and tremble. "_Get out of my mind!"_

I stop in my tracks when I hear the footsteps behind me again.

"Long time no see, cutie."

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**A/N: **Please review!:))


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